


Almost Paradise

by annie1017



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: High School Musical!Au, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-15
Updated: 2016-03-15
Packaged: 2018-05-26 07:41:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,133
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6229570
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/annie1017/pseuds/annie1017
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>[highschoolmusical!au] The first thing Baekhyun does is blush, remembering the bold way he had kissed the dark-skinned boy that night on the beach almost a week ago. It must have been the adrenaline working, or the magic of the night sky, because Baekhyun has never been that forward. He also never expected to see Jongin again. Yet, here he is, standing in front of the handsome boy with the smoldering eyes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Start of Something New

Byun Baekhyun’s dream spring break is rather simple. He wants to spend it playing League of Legends and visiting the comic book store near his apartment in Seoul. He would enjoy spending a day or two reading up on quantum physics and a few more on the works of Salinger, Fitzgerald, and Murakami. What he does _not_ want to do, however, is spend it at his aunt’s place, beach side, in Jeju.  
  
Sometimes, Baekhyun likes to tell people that he is allergic to the sun. While his cousins, the Jeju natives, are all wonderfully tan with sunkissed skin, Baekhyun is paler than the fresh snow after a Seoul blizzard. Instead of tanning under the sun, he just gets sunburned to a crisp. That is why, of course, Baekhyun chooses to hide under a huge umbrella while his cousins scamper on the beach.  
  
“The water is the perfect temperature, hyung!” Tao calls. “Come on; having some fun won’t kill you.”  
  
Baekhyun shakes his head and scoffs. Having some sun probably will kill him. Instead he takes a sip of pink lemonade and disappears back behind a copy of _The Picture of Dorian Gray_. He considers the hedonistic life Gray leads in Victorian England, and looks for the appeal. What part of that life, one of wild parties, hook-ups, drinking, and drugs, was attractive? Baekhyun wonders if he missed a chapter in the “how to be a teenager handbook.”  
  
Baekhyun is suddenly startled out of his reverie when cold water pours over his head, splashing onto his book. He yelps and springs to his feet, moving the book aside at once.  
  
“You’re no fun, Baek hyung,” Tao informs with a glare. He has dumped a bottle of beach water all over Baekhyun’s head, and now looks quite pleased.  
  
“Brat,” Baekhyun shoots back. He shuns his cousin for the rest of the day, because no one dumps water on Byun Baekhyun and gets away with it.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
If Jongin is asked to sum up his life with one word, he would use the word soccer. More or less, the sport consumed his waking hours and lately, as soccer season has started for the spring, it also takes over his sleeping hours.  
  
He dreams about soccer.  
  
Sometimes, it is of finally winning that championship trophy, of being lifted up on the shoulders of his teammates as the captain, and paraded around the field.  
  
More often, however, he dreams of failure. He sees his father, shaking his head in disappointment as he collapses to his knees by the -- line. They are one goal short of the championship, and Jongin has failed. Other times, they don’t even make it that far. He dreams of stupid mistakes and bad games, of losing to easy opponents and letting down the whole school. Time is running out, and Jongin needs to succeed.  
  
“Guys, really? We’re on spring break for god’s sake!” Jongin’s mom’s voice barely registers in his head over the sounds of the soccer ball steadily hitting the wall off of the side of his cleats.  
  
Jongin’s father also ignores her. “67...68....69...70...71...”  
  
“Hey, you two!” she yells again.  
  
This time, Jongin gets distracted, and the next thing he knows, he kicked a little too hard, and the ball bounces off the wall with much more momentum, flying out of his reach.  
  
“Shit,” he mutters, wiping sweaty bangs from his forehead. “Mom, you made me mess up.”  
  
“He was on a roll,” his dad adds, retrieving the ball from across the room.  
  
His mom rolls his eyes. “We are on vacation, and you guys are acting as if we’re still in Seoul! Look outside - the ocean! The beach! We’re at a beach resort, for god’s sake. I know we come here every year, but it shouldn’t be like this. In the past, you hung out with the other kids, Jongin. This year, you’ve barely seen them. Take a shower and get changed, okay? You’re going with them tonight!”  
  
“One more try,” Jongin says, already preparing to start kicking the soccer ball again.  
  
“Now,” she replies, snatching the ball away. “I want you showered and ready to go in 45 minutes. I’ll call Joonmyun and tell him you’re coming.”  
  
No, Jongin thinks in his head as he is shoved toward the bathroom, I need to practice. I need to be with my soccer ball; the big game is in less than two months.  
  
But he doesn’t. Instead, he hums the FIFA 13 theme song, and gets himself ready for a night out in Jeju with the boys.  
  
Jongin has known Joonmyun for several years. Although he lives in Seoul, and Joonmyun is from Daegu, both families vacationed at the same resort in Jeju every spring, and the two boys grew up together. In fact, that is how he knows Chanyeol and Kris, both boys he grew up vacationing with.  
  
“Look who decided to finally show up,” Joonmyun drawls, getting to his feet in the hotel lobby. “Dude, we’ve barely seen you all summer.”  
  
Chanyeol also gets to his feet, and Jongin instinctively takes a step back.  
  
“Did you get taller?” he asks, squinted at his very smiley friend.  
  
“Affirmative,” Chanyeol replies happily. His wavy hair flops into his eyes when he nods, and Jongin thinks he looks like an overgrown child.  
  
"Let's get going," Kris interrupts, not interested one bit in their reunion, "I want to make sure we get a karaoke room and it's probably going to be packed tonight." He glances at Jongin for a moment, and gives him a suave nod. "Wassup," he says.  
  
Jongin rolls his eyes, because nothing has changed. Kris is still forever pretending to be cool. "Let's go," he groans, turning away. "Kris is making me nauseous."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Although Tao is a beach townie and has a ridiculous number of tanned friends, it turns out that his best friends, a slim boy by the name of Oh Sehun, and a shorter one named Jongdae is anything but tan.  
  
“Are you sure you’re a native?” Baekhyun asks, eyeing Sehun’s milky white skin suspiciously.  
  
“I don’t tan or sunburn,” Sehun shrugs, tongue darting out anxiously under Baekhyun’s intense gaze. “I don’t really know why, but my skin color never changes.”  
  
Baekhyun wishes he didn’t sunburn.  
  
“And I avoid the sun,” Jongdae adds. “I’m a musician, so I tend to stay indoors. Tao is the only beach bum between us.”  
  
Seeing Baekhyun’s questioning look, Tao makes a face. “I picked a wrong lunch table in elementary school,” he mutters, rolling his eyes. “I should have sat with - ”  
  
He is interrupted by a smack in the head, courtesy of Jongdae. “Let’s go, asshole.”  
  
The noraebang place is packed by the time they arrive, and they are stuck in a waiting room with a million other people.  
  
“We’re never going to get a room tonight,” Jongdae mopes, glaring at Tao. “It’s all your fault.”  
  
Soft music blared into the waiting room over the soft murmur of voices, and lights dimmed and flashed on intervals. This noraebang was definitely the trendy place to be for young adults.  
  
“Sehun was the late one,” Tao retorts, throwing the youngest boy under the figurative bus.  
  
“Thanks, hyung,” Sehun scoffs.  
  
Baekhyun rolls his eyes and picks up his book again. The worlds that Pynchon creates in his writings are, fortunately, more interesting than the one in front of him.  
  
“What are you reading?” Jongdae asks.  
  
Baekhyun chooses not to answer, because explaining Pynchon to Jongdae would be a lot like Jongdae telling him about members of Boyz II Men.  
  
Suddenly, Tao perks up. "I think I have a solution," he mutters, lowering his voice so the others all had to lean in. "See that really tall guy over there?"  
  
"With the scary face?"  
  
Tao rolls his eyes at Jongdae but nods. "That's Kris, one of the rich kids who stays at the resort every year around this time. I think they're the next to get a room; maybe we can just go with them?"  
  
"Does he even like you?" Sehun asks, doubtfully.  
  
Tao gives him a glare, and starts to wave at small group of four gathered at the other side of the room. "Hyung! Kris hyung!"  
  
Kris looks up, slightly startled, but smiles upon seeing Tao. Introductions are quickly made, but Baekhyun barely looks up from his book long enough to say hello.  
  
Another of the guys, an equally tall one with wavy hair, sees the number in Jongdae's hand and winces. "You're not getting a room anytime soon with that place in line," he says. "Why don't you guys just join us instead?"  
  
"Sure," Jongdae agrees happily.  
  
Baekhyun scoffs, thinking that this is an awkward disaster just waiting to happen. Three townies and four vacationing rich kids, what would they possibly have in common to talk about?  
  
He finds, twenty minutes later from his spot in the corner of the dimmed karaoke room, that he was wrong. Once Jongdae and Joonmyun are given microphones, they both sing to their heart's content and immediately hit it off. They order snacks, lots of them, but Baekhyun only accepts the peanuts before returning to his book.  
  
He is just getting to the good part, and Doc is creating trouble in Las Vegas, when Tao wraps a hand around his arm and pulls him onto his feet. Baekhyun struggles, but the book is wrenched out of his grasp and he is shoved to the middle of the room.  
  
"Your turn to have some fun, hyung," Tao smirks, sticking the book down the front of his pants. He reaches for another shot of soju with little remorse.  
  
Baekhyun groans. Now he is going to need a new copy of _Inherent Vice_ , one without Tao's crotch germs.  
  
On the other side of the benched booth, the vacation kids are trying to yank a reluctant member from the back. Baekhyun squints, trying to see his face, but is saved the trouble when Kris physically picks the guy up and dumps him in the middle of the room.  
  
"You can think about soccer when you get back to school, Jongin," he says gruffly. "Here, sing." Kris shoves a mic into the man's hand, and other into Baekhyun's.  
  
"I don't want to," Baekhyun replies, immediately, trying to hand the microphone back.  
  
However, the music has already started, and lyrics start appearing on the scene in color, counting down the beats.  
  
Baekhyun stares at his feet, and wishes to disappear. Ever since the time he regurgitated half of his lunch while playing the role of an unimportant tree in a school production in middle school, he has been plagued with stage fright.  
  
Then, the other guy opens his mouth and starts to sing.  
  
 _Whenever I see you,  
Whenever you smile for me  
Little by little,  
My feelings for you grew_  
  
Jongin's voice is deeper than Baekhyun had expected, and it prompts him to look up to see the face that went with the voice. For a moment, Baekhyun is frozen. Jongin is not at tall as Kris nor Chanyeol, but still considerably taller than himself. He is tan, as dark as any beach townie, and has dark eyes, a sharp nose, strong jawline, and plump lips. Baekhyun has never seen anyone so handsome.  
  
But then Jongin is turning away, visibly disappointed, and Baekhyun realized he has missed his first line. Forgetting all about his stage fright, and the fact that six other people are watching him, Baekhyun opens his mouth and sings.  
  
 _When I think of you now,  
When I picture you,  
my beating heart doesn’t know how to stop._  
  
At once, Jongin's perfectly sculpted eyebrows raise, and a smile spreads over his face. Grabbing onto his mic more confidently, he ad libs and harmonizes with Baekhyun.  
  
 _I can’t hide my feelings anymore  
I want to give it all to you  
I’m always close to you  
Can’t I love you?_  
  
The result is spectacular.  
  
"Hey, asshole, I never knew you could sing," Tao calls when the song is over, waving his arms around wildly. "You should have told me."  
  
"Call me hyung," Baekhyun mutters, moving back to his corner and feeling overwhelmed. He considers asking for his book back, but decides to let it stay in Tao's pants. Instead, he stands back up, and starts for the door. "I'm going to get some fresh air."  
  
Less than a minute later, he is out of the noraebang, which emptied out onto the beach boardwalk. The night is warm, and a cool breeze flits through his hair. Baekhyun leans against the railings and tilts his face up toward the starry sky. He wonders what exactly made him to that - sing in front of a room of people he barely knew, because Byun Baekhyun is not that type of person.  
  
"That was amazing!"  
  
Surprised, Baekhyun spins around, and almost loses his balance. Jongin is standing behind him, hands in pockets.  
  
"What?" Baekhyun asks, smartly.  
  
"You voice," Jongin reiterates, moving to stand next to him, also leaning his elbows into the railing. “It was amazing. Do you sing?”  
  
“Rarely,” Baekhyun replies, chuckling. “Stage fright. You?”  
  
“Only in the shower.” Jongin smiles, and Baekhyun suddenly wants to hide because he is now imagining the guy next to him in the shower.  
  
“Oh,” Baekhyun replies, awkwardly, because what is one supposed to say in front of someone so good looking anyway? He feels his face heat up, and suddenly craves the cool waters of the ocean. “I think I’ll go for a dip.”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Jongin watches silently as Baekhyun takes off his shoes and leaves them on the edge of the boardwalk, rolling his jeans up as far as they will go. Then, he hopes the railing, and charges into the water. Which is, of course, freezing cold. Baekhyun quickly takes three steps back, and starts to go in much slower.  
  
He thinks that this Baekhyun guy, the friend of a friend who has been hiding behind a book for much of the night, is handsome and mysterious.  
  
“Really? A midnight dip?” Jongin asks, rolling his eyes. He has done the same thing, and is padding into the ocean next to Baekhyun, only slower and with more common sense.  
  
“Why not,” Baekhyun replies, tilting his head.  
  
The moonlight catches the lighter bits in Baekhyun’s brown hair, and for a moment, Jongin’s heart feels as if it is about to jump out of his chest. Baekhyun, as the others had called him, the angel with the beautiful voice and soft smile is looking at him quizzically.  
  
“What’s wrong?” he asks, voice catching in his throat a bit.  
  
Baekhyun takes a deep breath and moves a step forward. “Jongin-ah, I’m normally not this forward, but I’m going to kiss you now. Feel free to stop me any time.”  
  
Jongin doesn’t want him to stop. In fact, that is the very last thing he wants. Carefully, he brings his hand up to Baekhyun’s cheek, marveling at how his dark skin contrasts with the other boy’s fair skin. Baekhyun is shivering, and Jongin wraps him closer into his arms.  
  
“Okay,” he mumbles, leaning down. “Okay.”  
  
Baekhyun takes that to be permission, and stands up on his tiptoes to press his lips against Jongin’s. The night suddenly feels ten times brighter.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Baekhyun doesn’t believe in fate, destiny, or coincidence. He believes that one is responsible for his own decision in life, and those decisions determine that path.  
  
Or, as Baekhyun has been contemplating for the past week, according to the book he had just finished the night before on the many-world interpretation of quantum mechanics, there could well be another Byun family in a parallel universe who did not suddenly move across the city, into a Seoul neighborhood way more wealthy than their old one.  
  
“We have the money,” Baekhyun’s mom had said, shrugging. “Why not? This new place is so much nicer.”  
  
Baekhyun had wanted to retort that he was losing all of his friends by starting at a new school halfway through his senior year, but instead he’d decided to be the good son and keep quiet. Besides, there is only a semester left; he can definitely handle being the freakishly smart new kid for a few months before college.  
  
As he sits in the principal’s office of his new high school, a display case full of trophies catches his eye. “What are those for?” he asks, curiously.  
  
“We have a very strong swimming and volleyball program here,” the principal replies fondly. “We also used to be a strong force in boys’ soccer, but we are currently in the middle of remodeling and rebuilding that program. It has been a few years since soccer has brought us a championship trophy.”  
  
“Bummer,” Baekhyun replies, not really interested. Sports have never been his thing.  
  
“I think this year is the year though,” the principal adds happily. “Our starting line is great, and the captain is doing a great job of keeping the team on track. His father used to coach soccer, you know? A really promising athlete.”  
  
“Great,” Baekhyun mutters, already half listening.  
  
Principal Kang makes a few clicks on his computer, and the printer behind him comes to life, lighting up and splitting out three sheets of paper. “Your schedule,” he says, handing them over to Baekhyun. “I have, of course, enrolled you in our most challenging classes, picking up from where you left off at your old school. I am afraid, however, that you are required to take an elective senior year, and the only one available at this present time is theater arts.”  
  
“Theater - no, I can’t,” Baekhyun immediately protests. The only thing he hates more than sports is public speaking and performing.  
  
“Just keep your head down and you’ll be fine,” Principal Kang replies, waving his worries away. “It’s a class for spillover students; they probably won’t even notice you.”  
  
Baekhyun doesn’t know whether or not to be offended.  
  
When he walks into the auditorium that day after lunch, he kind of understands. The class size is massive, and kids are chatting, singing, tossing paper balls at each other, and being generally disruptive. Baekhyun settles into a seat in the back, pushing past some soccer players gathered in the first few rows. Neanderthals, he thinks. Too much brawn and not enough brains.  
  
He carefully props his feet up on the empty seat in front of him and pulls out his book, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. He is halfway through the Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle, and wants nothing more than to find out how the precious gem had ended up in the stomach of a goose. He is distracted, however, by the loud pair of overdramatic students sitting in the row in front of him.  
  
Baekhyun peeks over his book, and sees two guys, dressed in tight skinny jeans. One is dressed all in white, and the other has on a sparkly purple jacket.  
  
“Bora Bora was great, of course,” the blond guy with the sparkles says, running a hand casually through his styled hair. His skin is impossibly clear, and Baekhyun thinks he sees lip gloss coating the guy’s lips. “But definitely glad to be back. The spring musical is going to be spectacular this year, and I can’t wait.”  
  
“I wonder what show we’ll be putting on,” his dark haired friend replies. He smiles, and a dimple appears on his right cheek.  
  
“I’m hoping that Legally Blonde made the cut. I’d make a fabulous Elle Woods and you can be Emmett.”  
  
Baekhyun wonders for a moment what hell Elle Woods is, but sinks lower in his seat. All he wants is to fit into this school, unnoticed, for a semester. Friends would be nice, yes, but certainly not these two high-strung divas. At this point, he'd rather be friends with the Christmas goose that has just been cooked by Mrs. Hudson.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Jongin has been frozen for so long that his best friend and starting goalie, Minseok, bounces a soccer ball not so gently off the back of his head.  
  
“Ouch!” he winces, reaching out to smack the shorter boy.  
  
Minseok dances out of his reach, and takes a seat in the cushioned seats of the auditorium. “Well, if you’d paid attention instead of spacing out, I wouldn’t have had to hurt you,” he replies.  
  
“Everything okay, man?” Minho, the starting center asks, pulling an earbud out of his ear. “We have a game this Friday; don’t go getting sick or anything.”  
  
Jongin scoffs. “Glad to see how much you care,” he says, yanking the other earbud out of Minho’s ear as well. Still, even as he sits down, he leans around the other team members, trying to get a look at the new kid who had pushed past. From the look he had gotten of the side of his face and the back of his head, the new kid looks a lot like the townie he had met in Jeju over break. But did that even make sense? Why would Baekhyun, who he had only met for one amazing night, be here in Seoul?  
  
He strains to see past the blond crimped head of the school diva, Lu Han, but his line of sight is blocked by a book in front of the new kid’s face.  
  
“Class, settle down!” Professor Lim, the drama teacher, calls. She sits herself on the edge of the stage, and waits for silence.  
  
Jongin is forced into his seat by Minseok, and he turns in his feet, squinting. Who is the new kid? Could it possibly be Baekhyun?  
  
Suddenly, Jongin gets an idea. Discreetly, he sneaks his phone out of his pocket and and clicks, dialing the number entered under Byun Baekhyun that night on the beach. There is a moment of silence in which Jongin waits with bated breath, and then a Girls’ Generation songs blasts from the back of the room. Jongin turns around, and sees that yes, it is definitely from the new kid’s phone. Another look tells him that yes, it is indeed Baekhyun.  
  
“Cell phone? In my class?” Professor Lim is less than pleased. She clomps her way to the back of the room with her high heels, and snatches the cell phone out of Baekhyun's hands. "New student, right?" she asks, glancing him over. "Certainly not a good start, Mr. Byun. I will see you in detention after school then."  
  
Baekhyun flushes red, but his eyes have also landed on Jongin in the front of the room. He is frozen in surprise, eyes wide and mouth open.  
  
“You two, too, Mr. Zhang, Mr. Lu?” Professor Lim says, plucking phones out of the hands of the two boys sitting in the row in front of Baekhyun.  
  
Lu Han whines in protest, but Professor Lim spins away.  
  
Jongin mouths the word hello, and Baekhyun smiles back, mouth curving to show off perfect white teeth. Jongin is mid-wave when Professor Lim snatches his phone out of his hands on her way back down the aisle.  
  
“You will be joining those three for detention, Kim Jongin,” she says, icily.  
  
“We have soccer practice, Professor” Minseok interrupts, holding up a hand. “You can’t - ”  
  
Professor Lim stares him down for a few moments and the whole class holds its breath. “I expect to see you there too, then, soccer practice or not,” she says, finally moving away. “When I say no phones in my classroom, I mean it. So, unless any of you also want detention, I suggest getting them out of my sight. Now, I hope you all had a great break, but it’s time to get back to work. Auditions for the spring musical will take place in the upcoming months. If you are interested, there is a signup sheet out by the ....”  
  
Jongin tunes her out, and instead peeks over his shoulder again. Baekhyun is still looking at him, smiling at him with a confused tilt of the head.  
  
“Dude, who are you looking at?” Minseok hisses, poking him hard in the ribs.  
  
Jongin shoves Minseok back, and turns away from Byun Baekhyun. This semester just has just gotten a lot more interesting.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
When Baekhyun makes his way out of Theater Arts class, Jongin is waiting, leaning by the door. The first thing Baekhyun does is blush, remembering the bold way he had kissed the dark-skinned boy that night on the beach almost a week ago. It must have been the adrenaline working, or the magic of the night sky, because Baekhyun has never been that forward. He also never expected to see Jongin again. Yet, here he is, standing in front of the handsome boy with the smoldering eyes.  
  
“How are - ”  
  
“What are - ”  
  
They laugh, and Jongin gestures for Baekhyun to talk first.  
  
“We bought a new house,” Baekhyun explains. “I used to live across the city, but we just moved.”  
  
“And now you’re here!” Jongin sounds excited, and Baekhyun tries not to get hopeful. It is obvious by the way Jongin strolls down the halls, greeting students left and right, that he is way out of his league. Jongin is an athlete, one of the popular kids, and certainly not suited for shy, nerdy Baekhyun. What happened in Jeju was different; it was Jeju,  
  
“I’m...here,” Baekhyun echoes.  
  
“How about I show you around then?” Jongin says immediately. He takes Baekhyun’s arm, leading him down the hall, and Baekhyun feels his arm tingling. He really, really wants to kiss Kim Jongin again, but figures that this is neither the time or place.  
  
“This is the humanities wing,” Jongin says, waving his hands around. “Literature, English, Chinese, theater, history, it’s all here.”  
  
“Is detention going to be here too?”  
  
Jongin blushes, a little ashamed. “Sorry about that,” he mutters. “I just wanted to be sure it was you. But ah, detention with Professor Lim will be in the auditorium we were just in. I suspect we’ll be painting sets for the spring musical, Dream High, or whatever. You should try out.”  
  
Baekhyun shakes his head vehemently. “I’ll probably throw up from nerves,” he replies.  
  
“Well, the sign up sheet is right there,” Jongin replies, stopping in front of a yellow piece of lined paper tacked onto a bulletin board. “I think you’d be great.”  
  
 _Yeah, great for the two seconds before I barf_ , Baekhyun thinks  
  
Instead, he cocks his head, and grins at Jongin. “I’ll try out if you try out.”  
  
Jongin doesn’t take the challenge. “I don’t...sing,” he says, running a hand through his hair in mild embarrassment. “I just - I have soccer, and I can’t.”  
  
Baekhyun vaguely remembers the principal talking about the soccer team, and connects the dots. “Oh, are you the infamous captain Principal Kang told me about?”  
  
Jongin blushes again, but this time, his gaze darkens. “Right, yes”  
  
Baekhyun pauses by a drink machine, and starts digging around in his pockets for change. “You must be under a lot of pressure,” he mutters.  
  
There is a moment of tense silence, but then Jongin’s eyebrows shoot up in surprise, and he nods vehemently. “Exactly!” he replies, nudging the smaller boy aside to insert his own bills into the machine. “No one else ever thinks about how I feel; it’s all about winning for them.”  
  
Eyeing his choices, Baekhyun picks apple juice. He is just opening his bottle when a rough hand shoves him aside with a rude “ _move_.”  
  
Jongin reaches out to catch him and Baekhyun manages to avoid falling on his face in his first day of school. He turns, and sees that it is the blond guy who had been sitting in front of him in the auditorium. The guy barely spares him a glance, and instead glares with full force at the bulletin board.  
  
The one behind him, the brunette, gives Baekhyun a somewhat apologetic smile. “Hey Jongin,” he says, sticking hands in pockets. “How was break?”  
  
“Pretty nice, Yixing; did you - ”  
  
“He doesn’t really care,” the blond interrupts. He turns to Yixing, and holds out a hand, tapping his feet impatiently. “Pen?”  
  
Yixing sighs, but reaches for one from his back pocket. “Here, Lu Han,” he replies, mildly miffed.  
  
Lu Han doesn’t seem to notice, and instead rounds on Baekhyun. “Yah, new kid, I guess it’s your fault that Yixing and I have detention,” he snaps.  
  
Instinctively, Baekhyun takes a step back. Lu Han might look pretty and innocent, but he is also kind of scary.  
  
“How?” Jongin counters. “Don’t be ridiculous; it’s not Baekhyun’s fault that you had your phones out.”  
  
Lu Han rolls his eyes and huffs. “We wouldn’t have been caught if it wasn’t for this one here,” he replies. He pauses for a moment, and takes stock of where they are standing. “Wait, are you auditioning?” he asks, gaze sharp and unforgiving.  
  
Baekhyun gulps. Any previous maybes about auditioning are now an absolute hell no.  
  
“What? No, no,” he replies, quickly bringing his juice to his lips. Baekhyun takes a drink, and almost chokes as it starts going down the wrong way.  
  
Lu Han nods smugly. “Good,” he announces, uncapping his pen, “because Yixing and I have had every leading role in every school production since we were in the 6th grade.” He then proceeds to, in big looping letter that take up four lines each, write his own name and Yixing’s name on the audition sheet.  
  
“That’s great,” Baekhyun replies, dying to escape back into anonymity. He gets the chance when Jongin’s round-faced friend sneaks up behind him and captures him in a headlock, and the other pair is busy discussing the audition piece.  
  
Ducking his head, Baekhyun backs his way around the corner, and starts toward his next class. He just wants to blend in and survive the last few months of high school, not get involved in an audition war or be seen around the most popular guy in school.  
  
Baekhyun heads to calculus with a heavy mind and an even heavier heart. He knows that a spring fling should remain just that, a spring fling, but he can’t help but hope for the start of something new.


	2. Stick to the Status Quo

Jongin’s soccer coach is not amused when two of his key players arrive two hours late to practice.  
  
“Laps,” he barks, pointing Jongin and Minseok down the field. “Go.”  
  
Minseok groans. “We’ve already been punished enough by Professor Lim,” he whines. “We had to paint sets for the stupid musical for two whole hours.”  
  
“Laps,” Coach repeats, unphased. “I expect my star players to be at practice every day after school leading up to the big game. That means being on their best behaviors and not using cellphones in class.”  
  
As they take off jogging around the field, Jongin feels a little bad. It was more or less his fault that Minseok had missed practice for detention as well.  
  
Instead of telling him that, Jongin pokes his best friend. “Yah, Seok, you should learn to keep your mouth shut.”  
  
Minseok just glares.  
  
After practice, Coach pulls Jongin aside. “It’s not like you to miss practice,” he says, eyeing Jongin closely. “Is something going on? Family? School?”  
  
“No, sir,” Jongin replies.  
  
“Semi-finals are next week, and I need you on your top game and focused,” Coach adds. “We just need two more wins for that title, Jongin. Semi-finals, championships, trophy.”  
  
“I understand.”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Baekhyun wants to try out for the spring musical. In his ideal world he would have the guts to get up there on stage and sing his heart out. But no, this is reality, and Byun Baekhyun hates being in front of so many people.  
  
The kid with the round face, Jongin’s friend, probably wishes that he was not in front of so many people right now, Baekhyun thinks. Professor Lee is glaring at Minseok, waiting for him to answer the question on the whiteboard.  
  
 _The limit does not exist. The limit does not fucking exist._  
  
The other boy squirming in his seat does not receive Baekhyun’s telepathic message. Baekhyun sighs, and feels bad for the kid. He scribbles the answer in his notebook and tilts up, giving Minseok a clear view of it over his shoulder.  
  
There is another few seconds of awkward silence and glaring from Professor Lee before Minseok finally sees the notebook.  
  
“The limit doesn’t exist,” he answers finally, slumping down in his seat.  
  
Professor Lee looks surprised at the correct answer and he lets Minseok pass without having to explain why.  
  
“Thanks,” the athlete whispers, leaning forward.  
  
Baekhyun just nods. Some people are meant for math, and others are meant for the soccer field. Similarly, Baekhyun is meant for the classroom, and not for the stage.  
  
The bell rings, and Baekhyun jumps, having been lost in his thoughts. He looks up to find a boy with dark hair and big eyes staring at him, nervously tapping a pencil on the table.  
  
“Hi?”  
  
“My name is Kyungsoo,” the boy says bluntly, “and you’re really good at calculus. Welcome to the Mathletes Team!”  
  
  
  
  
It’s Wednesday, and the semi-final game is less than two days away. Sometimes, Jongin gets excited thinking about it. Other times, he feels sick to his stomach because what if they lose?  
  
All he really wants, however, is to ask Byun Baekhyun out on a goddamn date.  
  
 _But how?_  
  
He doesn’t see Baekhyun much during the day, except in Theater Arts and at lunch. Baekhyun eats with the smart kids near the windows and never even looks his way.  
  
“Stop staring at the new kid,” Minseok hisses in the middle of stuffing his face with samgyeopsal. “It’s embarrassing.”  
  
“What are you talking about?”  
  
“You are Kim Jongin, okay? Kim Jongin. Kim Jongin does not pine over mathletes. Kim Jongin should focus on soccer and maybe date someone not completely nerdy.”  
  
Jongin frowns, and looks over at Baekhyun again. The object of his affections is laughing at something Kyungsoo, the captain of some math club, has said.  
  
“Probably laughing at derivatives or something,” Minseok mutters. “I bet they like math jokes.”  
  
Jongin thinks that math jokes can sometimes be funny. _Sometimes._  
  
However, as he logs in his mandatory hour of nightly workouts, Minseok’s final comment sticks to his mind. _Stick to the status quo, man._ But Jongin doesn’t want to stick to any status quos. He wants to ask out pretty Byun Baekhyun, whom he hasn’t kissed since that night ages ago and would very much like to kiss again.  
  
“It’s okay,” Minho tells him when they are the only two guys left in the locker room. “I like to bake cookies; fuck the status quo.”  
  
Jongin fails to see the relevance, but thanks him anyway.  
  
  
  
  
  
Baekhyun is so surprised by the text from Jongin that he gets on Monday that for a moment, he stops walking in the middle of the hallway. Kyungsoo is three steps ahead before he realizes that Baekhyun is no longer by his side.  
  
“Baek?” Kyungsoo backtrack, voice nervous. “Everything okay?”  
  
“I just - yeah,” Baekhyun replies dumbly. He stares down at the phone in his hands, and bright lights flash back at him.  
  
                _Let’s go grab coffee after school today, neh? Are you feeling brave today? ^-^_  
  
Baekhyun remembers the kiss and blushes.  
  
“Does that say from Kim Jongin?” Kyungsoo asks, glancing down at the screen. “As in the Kim Jongin? Mr. Soccer star?”  
  
Baekhyun nods. His fingers hover over the keys for only a brief moment before he types back.  
  
                  _Sure ~ meet you out front after last bell_  
  
“But we have a Mathletes meeting,” Kyungsoo whines. “Baekkie, the competition is in less than a month away and we need to practice! ”  
  
“I’ve practiced every day for the past week,” Baekhyun interrupts, patting his friend on the back. “One meeting without me is going to be just fine.”  
  
  
  
  
  
Jongin is in front of the school five minutes early. He’s not excited, he tells himself. No, he just had extra time after class; that was all. He has definitely not spent all weekend anticipating his first date with Byun Baekhyun.  
  
When the shorter boy rounds the corner, Jongin can’t even begin to hide his grin. Baekhyun is dressed in skinny jeans and a faux leather jacket, and looks even better than ever. Jongin has to cough to get the knot out of his throat.  
  
“Ready to go?” he asks, smiling nervously.  
  
Baekhyun glances around, noticing the other students giving them furtive glances.  
  
“Uh...”  
  
“Ignore them,” Jongin mutters. He gathers up his courage, grabs Baekhyun’s hand, and starts down the street. Nobody is going to ruin his first date today, no way.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Jongin’s hand is smoother than Baekhyun remembers or expects. It’s warm in his own and Baekhyun feels his heart beat pick up. _Oh my god_ , Baekhyun thinks, _Kim Jongin is holding my hand._  
  
“I’m not in a coffee mood,” Jongin announces suddenly, turning around to glance at Baekhyun. “How about some ice cream instead?”  
  
“Sure, ice cream sounds good” Baekhyun replies, eyes still fixed on his intertwining fingers. Jongin’s dark skin contrasts brilliantly with his own pale hand, and Baekhyun gulps.  
  
Seeing his gaze, Jongin interprets it as discontent and starts to pull his hand away, but Baekhyun tightens his grip.  
  
“Let’s go get ice cream,” Baekhyun repeats.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Jongin gets strawberry sorbet and Baekhyun orders two scoops of rocky road. They find themselves in a nearby park, sitting on swings side by side and spilling their life stories and deep dark secrets to each other without a second thought.  
  
This is when Jongin realises how little he actually knows about Baekhyun as well as how much he wants to know about the other boy.  
  
“I was telling the truth when I said that I’m normally not that brave,” Baekhyun confesses nervously. “I don’t know what I was thinking then. I’m not outgoing or daring or spontaneous or popular or athletic or good with words or - ”  
  
“It’s okay,” Jongin interrupts, reaching out to stop Baekhyun’s swing from moving. He leans forward and kisses a surprised Baekhyun softly on the cheek. “I like you anyway.”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Baekhyun hears about the school’s win in the soccer semi-finals from a happy text from Jongin. The win is confirmed in the morning announcements the very next day.  
  
 _“Captain Kim Jongin lead the team with two goals in last night’s spectacular victory! The championship game will be in a week and a half, students, so mark your calendars and come out to support our amazing and talented soccer team.”_  
  
A cheer erupts from Baekhyun’s homeroom, and even Kyungsoo, who gave no fucks about sports, looked a little proud.  
  
 _“We have a busy schedule up ahead in school events! The auditions for the spring musical is today, after school, in the auditorium until 7 PM. You may drop by to try out even if your name was not on the sign-up sheet previously. All are welcome, with or without stage experience. Also, our number one ranked Mathletes team will be competing in the regional competition against our rivals in two weeks time.”_  
  
“We’re going to crush them,” Kyungsoo whispers, eyes glazing over.  
  
Baekhyun scoots a few inches away, rolling his eyes at his overly competitive friend. Then, he remembers the tryouts. He wants nothing more than to be in the spring musical, but also wants to avoid another stage fright episode at all costs.  
  
He tries, all day, to get auditions out of his head. However, he is unsuccessful. At the end of the day, he is still crouched behind a giant garbage can behind the side of the stage, watching the tryouts. Some were good, some were terrible.  
  
Baekhyun signs, and rubs his eyes. What he would not give for more bravery and guts.  
  
“The only people auditioning for the leads are Mr. Lu and Mr. Zhang, am I right?” Professor Lim asks.  
  
“Of course,” Lu Han replies haughtily, ascending the stage. “Yixing and I are always the leads.”  
  
“Just thought I’d ask,” Professor Lim sighs.  
  
The student pianist starts to play from the side, and Baekhyun freezes. He knows that tune. As soon as Yixing opens his mouth to sing the first time, Baekhyun recognizes the song.  
  
“Listen, it’s our song!”  
  
Baekhyun jumps so much that he hits his head on a broom that had been attached onto the side of the garbage can. Jongin manages to catch it before it clattered onto the floor.  
  
“I didn’t realize it was from Dream Heights,” Jongin continues, also crouching down.  
  
“Dream High,” Baekhyun corrects. He wants to ask Jongin why he is here hiding, but he thinks that he knows. While Baekhyun avoids stage fright and attention, Jongin avoids judgement from his teammate and preconceived stereotypes. In a way, Jongin is more like him than he would never know.  
  
  
  
  
  
Auditions end after Lu Han and Yixing’s dazzling performance, but Jongin thinks that Baekhyun could have done much better. He pulls the shorter boy up when the crowd leaves and heads up onto the stage.  
  
“Are you guys here to audition? You’re too late,” the pianist says, surprised to see them.  
  
“No, no. I just wanted to say that...you’re an amazing piano player,” Jongin confesses, shoving Baekhyun onto the middle of the stage.  
  
“Thanks?” the guy replies.  
  
“Can you play that song again? The audition song for the main roles.”  
  
The pianist agrees, and sits back down.  
  
“Come on,” Jongin says, tossing a mic at Baekhyun. “You already know the words, right? Sing with me.”  
  
Baekhyun doesn’t hesitate the way he had on Jeju and goes right in, full power. His rich voice flows out, and he is confident, hitting every note with evident ease.  
  
When the song is over, everyone in the room is smiling.  
  
“I didn’t realize soccer players could sing,” the pianist says, teasingly. “You’re not all that bad, Kim Jongin, but your partner blew you out of the water.”  
  
“I know,” Jongin replies, happily.  
  
Baekhyun blushes, and returns the microphone.  
  
“Mr. Kim.”  
  
Jongin turns and freezes, because Professor Lim is back in the room, arms crossed and looking rather angry.  
  
“Yes, Professor?” he replies nervously.  
  
“Your friend is looking for you,” she answers, pointing down the hall. “Kim Minseok just went that way in search of you.”  
  
“Oh, right,” Jongin exhales. “Thank you. I’ll...uh...see ya, Baek.” He jumps down from the stage and hurries out of the door. He needs to find Minseok before his best friend gets too suspicious.  
  
As he turns the corner, he hears Professor Lim call out to Baekhyun. He hopes against hope that Professor Lim is telling Baekhyun how amazing his voice is, because Baekhyun is born to be on stage whether he knows it or not.  
  
Baekhyun receives a note from Professor Lee in homeroom the next day. The whole class makes immature noises, thinking that he is in trouble, while Kyungsoo leans over his shoulder to read it as well.  
  
 _Callbacks for Dream High are next Friday, in the auditorium at 5 PM. Please don’t be late this time, and bring that Kim Jongin.  
-Professor Lim_  
  
“You auditioned for the musical?” Kyungsoo asks in surprise. “Wait, so did Kim Jongin? _The_ Kim Jongin?”  
  
“No - yes?” Baekhyun replies, confused. “Maybe?”  
  
Kyungsoo is not amused. “The Mathletes competition is coming up soon, you should - ”  
  
“I know,” Baekhyun interrupts “I should prepare. I am preparing.”  
  
  
  
  
A study date is not quite how Jongin had hoped to spend his second date with Baekhyun, but the shorter boy is just really good at calculus and Jongin is just really bad at cross-sectional areas.  
  
“It’s all very systematic,” Baekhyun explains, leaning over the table to point to his textbook. Jongin takes a peek down the plunging neckline of Baekhyun’s shirt and promptly forgets how to speak for a moment.  
  
“I- what?” he replies, dumbly.  
  
“Once you figure out how to do it, the integrals are set up in much the same way every time.It’s easy to predict these questions.” Baekhyun’s long fingers splay over the diagram and Jongin gulps. Nothing is going to get done today, that is for sure. Not as long as Baekhyun is being this distracting.  
  
Just as Jongin is about to open his mouth to suggest pushing aside their school work, Baekhyun interrupts. “You need to study for your exam tomorrow, Jongin.”  
  
Jongin sighs.  
  
“Look, if you study, really study and try hard, I’ll give you a reward later,” Baekhyun says, eyes twinkling with mischief.  
  
Jongin immediately sits up straighter in his seat and pulls his book closer.  
  
The reward ends up being a low-key movie date at Baekhyun’s house. Baekhyun lets him pick the movie, and they curl up in front of the TV and watch Tokyo Drift with the lights dimmed. Baekhyun’s parents are both at work, and the house is otherwise silent.  
  
“You know, Baek, I would be a straight A student if this was the type of reward I got every time I did well,” he whispers, arm wrapped securely around the smaller boy’s waist.  
  
Baekhyun blushes and pokes Jongin on the chest just as Han’s car explodes into a colorful ball of flames on the flat screen.  
  
They go out for ice cream again after, and Jongin holds Baekhyun’s hand on the walk there. He thinks that there is really no point in hiding his feelings toward the other because he is pretty sure that everybody at school has figured out by now that he kind of really likes Byun Baekhyun.  
  
This time, Baekhyun tries Taro, and Jongin gets pineapple coconut. They end up at the park again, on the swings, and Jongin asks about college.  
  
“I want to study math,” Baekhyun admits, a little embarrassed. “I know that’s kind of nerdy, but I like math and I’m really good at it. I think I might like to be an engineer one day.”  
  
“That’s not nerdy,” Jongin insists. “I think that’s great. Besides,” he adds with a mischievous glint in his eyes. “I know a college with a strong math program and a good soccer team.”  
  
For a moment, Baekhyun is frozen. “Do you mean that - ”  
  
His words are cut off by another kiss, this time on lips instead of his check. Baekhyun instinctively wraps his arms around Jongin’s neck to keep him close, and releases a sigh of content. Jongin’s mouth tastes like pineapple, and Baekhyun decides that he really really _really_ likes pineapple.  
  
  
  
  
  
Kyungsoo’s least favorite people in the world are the jocks. Ironically, one of them, Kim Minseok, is seated right across from him in the coffee shop. Kyungsoo’s nose wrinkles as he watches the soccer player scan the menu. _He probably doesn’t even know how to do partial derivatives, ugh._  
  
“Can we just get this talk over with?” he snaps briskly.  
  
Minseok gives him the side eye. “Why are you in such a hurry?” he retorts. “It’s not like your kind has a social life.”  
  
“Just like how your kind doesn’t have a brain,” Kyungsoo mutters under his breath. He coughs, and straightens up. “Anyway, I asked you to meet me here because I think I have an idea that might be beneficial to the both of us.”  
  
“Yeah?” Minseok asks, not sounding very interested.  
  
“It’s about Jongin and Baekhyun.”  
  
At that, Minseok sits up. “Continue, please.”  
  
“Look, you need Jongin to focus on the soccer championships and I need Baekhyun to focus on the Mathletes competition. Right now, all that they’re focusing on is each other.”  
  
At that moment, the waitress returns with Minseok’s iced mocha, and they pause for a moment as she flirts non-discreetly with the athlete before moving away.  
  
Kyungsoo rolls his eyes because flirting on the job is way unprofessional.  
  
“Are you suggesting what I think you’re suggesting?” Minseok asks finally.  
  
Kyungsoo nods. “It’s for the greater good,” he says gravely.  
  
  
  
  
  
Baekhyun is halfway into a delicious problem involving a snowstorm and rates at which the snow is being cleared from a driveway when Kyungsoo interrupts.  
  
“Integrate,” he says over Baekhyun’s shoulder.  
  
Baekhyun pouts at him. “I know,” he grumbles. “I needed a minute to appreciate the problem.”  
  
Kyungsoo rolls his eyes, but starts pulling Baekhyun toward his own desk. “I have something that I need to show you,” he says.  
  
“Can’t it wait?” Baekhyun asks, confused. “I’m in the middle of this problem and - ”  
  
“It can’t wait,” another Mathletes member pipes up. “Come on, Baekhyun, this is important.”  
  
Curious, Baekhyun settles himself into the chair in front of Baekhyun’s computer.  
  
“We have something important to say to you today,” Kyungsoo starts, waving around a large meter stick. “No matter what happens, we just want you to know that we’re here for you. Always. Now, we are descendents from Neanderthals, there is little doubt about that.” He causes for a moment, before barreling on. “Once upon time, we were dependent on sticks and stones, and had no language of communication or higher thinking skills. Some people make this very easy to prove because they contribute very little to society.”  
  
Baekhyun blinks slowly. “What?”  
  
Kyungsoo sighs, and reaches for his laptop. “Here, just watch this.”  
  
  
  
  
Jongin isn’t surprised when his team corners him after practice one day. He assumes it’s for a huddle, because they often do that after games. Instead, Minseok just grabs his arm.  
  
“Our Jongin-ah is going to be world famous one day,” he coos to the rest of the team. A loud cheer erupts.  
  
“Park Jisung’s got nothing on you!” Another teammate calls from the back.  
  
“But I heard you were thinking of not paying soccer in college,” someone else asks.  
  
Jongin frowns. “That’s ridiculous, of course I’m - ”  
  
“I hear you were going to major in math to be with Byun Baehyun.”  
  
Jongin opens his mouth to reply, but Minseok cuts him off. “You can’t be serious, right?” he asks, advancing toward Jongin. “You’re making college plans with the Baekhyun kid? You’ve known him for what - a few weeks! I thought it was just a phase, Jongin.”  
  
The rest of the team makes similar complaints, and Jongin feels his face heat up.  
  
“I mean, being distracted from practice and the game is one thing, we can handle that. But giving up on soccer and your future?”  
  
“It’s - of course it’s just a phase,” Jongin replies desperately. He just wants them to all stop looking at him like he had betrayed them.  
  
“I knew it,” Minseok exclaims.  
  
“I have my dreams, and no one is going to get in my way,” Jongin mumbles, turning away. “Baekhyun is just some guy; he means nothing to me.”  
  
Minseok reaches around and claps Jongin on the shoulder. “One day, you’re going to play for Chelsea and for Team Korea.”  
  
Jongin lets out a noise of agreement. “Chelsea and Team Korea,” he repeats with much less gusto.  
  
  
  
  
Slowly, Kyungsoo lowers the computer lid. Baekhyun’s gaze is still fixed in front of him, eyes not really seeing. His face feels hot and numb, and he wonders if it is as red as he thinks it is. So, he means nothing, huh? Jongin had been playing with him this whole time?  
  
“We’re sorry,” Kyungsoo whispers, reaching out to pat Baekhyun in the back. “He’s one of them, Baekhyun. They never change.”  
  
“I just thought...” Baekhyun blinks, willing the tears not to spill down his cheeks. “I just thought he was different,” he says softly. Kyungsoo is still studying him closely, so Baekhyun forces a smile onto his face.  
  
“Are you okay?” Kyungsoo asks.  
  
“Sure,” Baekhyun replies, turning away. “Let’s finish that calculus problem, shall we?”  
  
  
  
  
Jongin is a little confused when Baekhyun doesn’t call after school like he usually does, but chalks it up to forgetfulness. Instead, he creeps up on Baekhyun when the latter is at his locker after school and wraps a hand around Baekhyun’s arm.  
  
“Hey, stranger,” he says, flashing Baekhyun his best smile.  
  
To his surprise, Baekhyun does not smile back. “Hey,” he replies shortly.  
  
“Should we rehearse after school tomorrow for the callbacks?” Jongin asks. “I don’t have soccer practice tomorrow, and we can - ”  
  
“Who are you trying to kid?” Baekhyun interrupts, slamming his locker shut with a resounding bang. “You don’t belong in my world and I sure as hell don’t belong in yours. Go win the championship, Jongin. We’re not going to any callbacks.”  
  
Jongin watches as Baekhyun storms away and feels his heart clench. Although he is not sure what had just happened, he has a feeling that he was just dumped by Byun Baekhyun.  
  
He gets to practice fifteen minutes late, but the coach is not there to scold him. Instead, he is surrounded by the other team members, who have never seen their captain arrive late.  
  
“Where were you?” Minseok asks worriedly. “Is everything alright?”  
  
Jongin shakes off his questions with a shrug. “I’m going to run laps,” he mutters, starting off across the field. Maybe laps can take his mind off the pain in his chest, because he is pretty sure that his heart has just broken in half.


	3. Breaking Free

Baekhyun is able to focus all of his time on practicing for the competition now that he no longer has to rehearse for tryouts, and his score on the sets of practice questions Kyungsoo has the team doing every day increases by 15 whole points. Kyungsoo, of course, is ecstatic.  
  
“I knew you had it in you,” he cheers, clapping Baekhyun on the back in glee. “You’re a genius, Byun Baekhyun.”  
  
Baekhyun gives him a tired smile and starts to pack up.  
  
“Wait, we’re going out for ice cream together in a few minutes. Aren’t you coming?” Kyungsoo asks.  
  
At the words “ice cream,” Baekhyun visibly stiffens.  
  
“I think I’m just going to go home,” he says shortly. Swinging his backpack over his shoulders, Baekhyun pauses by the window for a millisecond before heading wordlessly out of the door.  
  
Kyungsoo sighs and takes a look out of the window. The soccer team is practicing on the field, and Kim Jongin is the only player doing laps. It has been five days since Baekhyun has smiled, since the stunt he had pulled with Minseok with the hidden video camera.  
  
“Do you feel guilty?” another member asks, joining him at the window.  
  
“Yes,” Kyungsoo sighs.  
  
The other student frowns, brows furrowed. “What if they’re meant to be and we just messed with fate?”  
  
Kyungsoo doesn’t ask who “they” are because he knows. Baekhyun without Jongin has become a soul without a purpose, and Kyungsoo decides that he needs to have another talk with Kim Minseok.  
  
  
  
  
  
“Yo Captain, want to run some cone drills?”  
  
Jongin looks up from the asphalt track. “I want to run laps,” he replies shortly, wanting to save his breath, before starting on another. Running helps him get his mind off Byun Baekhyun, who has been avoiding him for most of the week. The sad thing is, he doesn’t even know what he did wrong. Was it something he had said? Or was Baekhyun just not into someone like him, someone who can barely do a partial derivative?  
  
Jongin is the last person in the locker rooms again after practice. Minseok had lingered, as if waiting for him, but was pulled away by an important phone call. With a sigh, Jongin shoulders his gym bag and starts out of the door. He has barely stepped over the threshold when he crashes into the person waiting for him on the other side. Minseok looks extremely nervous and is shifting from one foot to another.  
  
“Yes?” Jongin prompts.  
  
Minseok sighs and falls into step next to him. “I have something to tell you, and you might hate me after.”  
  
  
  
  
It is up to him to talk to Jongin, Baekhyun knows. It was his fault, really. He had believed the video, believed Kyungsoo’s words without letting Jongin explain himself. He wonders if Jongin is angry at Baekhyun for not trusting him, for being swayed so easily. He is surprised, therefore, when he gets a text from Jongin asking to meet him in the park. The text instills hope back into Baekhyun’s mind that maybe, just maybe, Jongin will forgive him.  
  
  
  
  
“I’m sorry.”  
  
For a moment, Baekhyun gapes.  
  
“No, _I’m_ sorry,” he replies hastily. “I was the one that just shut you out. Plus, it was all Kyungsoo’s idea and that asshole genius is my friend.”  
  
Jongin shakes his head, hair falling adorably over his eyes. “But that doesn’t change the fact that I did say those words. I didn’t mean it, Baekhyun, any of it.” He reaches out and picks up Baekhyun’s pale hand again. “I know that we haven’t known each other for that long, but you’re important to me because I really _really_ like you.”  
  
Feeling his face flame up, Baekhyun coughs, trying to hide his nerves. “Can we still...for the spring musical?”  
  
“I’d love to,” Jongin replies. He traps Baekhyun between side of the jungle gym and his own chest, leaning down close to his face. “I missed you,” he whispers, voice husky. “Please don’t ignore me again.”  
  
Baekhyun chuckles, closing the distance to land a sweet kiss on Jongin’s lips. “Promise.”  
  
  
  
  
  
The Mathletes competition slots into the calendar the day before callbacks. Kyungsoo leads the team to a 320-300 victory over the opposing team.  
  
When Baekhyun sings with Jongin onstage at callbacks, under the hot, glaring lights, he decides, as he looks into Jongin’s eyes, that it doesn’t really matter if they don’t get the lead parts. Getting to sing with Jongin again, just being with Jongin, is enough.  
  
“That’s stupid,” Kyungsoo snaps when Baekhyun voices that thought. “You auditioned to win, so you two better win. Or else.”  
  
Baekhyun’s face pales and he decides that he doesn’t want to consider what else Kyungsoo is capable of.  
  
  
  
  
  
The audition results are posted on the bulletin board right outside of the drama room at noon. Jongin stands with Baekhyun, Kyungsoo, and Minseok a few feet away, overlooking the railings to the downstairs lobby.  
  
“You nervous?” Jongin asks, leaning down to whisper in Baekhyun’s hair.  
  
The boy gives him a tight-lipped smile and nods. “You?”  
  
“Jongin’s been trying out for all of his life,” Minseok answers. “We both have; hazards of playing a competitive sport.”  
  
“But I’ve never _sang_ before,” Jongin disagrees. His heart is in his throat and he wants the lead roles so he can stand on that stage with Baekhyun.  
  
Professor Lim has just pinned the results on the board for a total of four seconds before Lu Han speeds around the corner, followed as always by Yixing. He stops by the page and just stares for a few seconds.  
  
“I can’t believe this,” he snaps, spinning around and advancing toward Baekhyun. “ _You_? You and _him_? The lead roles?”  
  
Baekhyun takes a step back and Jongin steps protectively in front of him. Even Yixing is rolling his eyes at his best friend’s outburst.  
  
“You two are complete amateurs,” Lu Han continues, jabbing Jongin on the shoulder. “Do you know that I’ve been the lead in every school musical since I was seven years old? I am a star, not some understudy! I - ”  
  
“Shut up.”  
  
Jongin’s head turns in surprise because he could have sworn that those two words just came out of Yixing’s mouth. In fact, the brunette is looking uncharacteristically unhappy, eyebrows bunched in displeasure.  
  
“Stop being such a bitch, Han,” Yixing says, angrily. “They were better than us, admit it. Maybe if you spent less time looking at yourself in the mirror and more time rehearsing with me, we would have gotten the part.”  
  
There is a gasp from Kyungsoo, and Jongin brings a hand up to cover his own mouth. Yixing did not just go there.  
  
“What did you say?” Lu Han asks, moving away from Jongin and towards his best friend.  
  
“You’re fucking perfect, okay? Stop trying so hard.” With a loud huff, Yixing turns on his heels and starts stomping down the stairs.  
  
There is a moment of silence in which everyone just stares, open mouthed. Then, Lu Han rounds on Jongin aggressively. “Did he just call me perfect?”  
  
For once, Jongin sees a gentleness in Lu Han’s eyes that he has never noticed before.  
  
“Go after him, dumbass,” Kyungsoo explodes, shoving Lu Han away.  
  
The blond stumbles, takes two steps to steady himself, and glares at Kyungsoo.  
  
“Go!” Jongin adds, grabbing Lu Han by the arm and steering him towards the stairs. He watches as Lu Han sprints down the stairs two at a time, catching up to Yixing halfway to the lobby.  
  
“Who saw that coming?” Minseok whistles.  
  
  
  
  
  
(Jongin leads his team to a 3-2 victory at the championship game. The mathletes slide into an easy win, well prepared by the much harder practices captain Kyungsoo had enforced. They celebrate with a trip to a noraebang, where they watch a drunk Kyungsoo and Minseok perform a raunchy version of Troublemaker.  
  
  
“I could have gone a lifetime without seeing that,” Jongin sighs, covering his eyes and groaning.  
  
  
Baekhyun quietly agrees.)


End file.
